It’s the day all Liverpool supporters knew would come finally.
Initially of subsequent season, Jurgen Klopp won’t be sitting within the Liverpool dugout. As an alternative, it is going to be another person.
However who?
Simply because it was when Alex Ferguson left Manchester United and Arsene Wenger left Arsenal, Klopp shall be a tough managerial act to observe. His legacy is about in stone after main Liverpool to home and European success and forming one of many best teams of gamers the membership has ever had. Good luck to whoever is subsequent.
So with Liverpool understandably eager to start the recruitment course of, The Athletic checked out a few of the attainable choices accessible to the Fenway Sports activities Group (FSG) because it decides who will lead a brand new period at Anfield.
Xabi Alonso
A former Liverpool midfielder returning because the inheritor obvious. Too unhealthy Steven Gerrard has simply signed a brand new contract with Al Ettifaq, proper?
However it has been Xabi Alonso who, in latest occasions, has turn into a a lot clearer candidate to make the transfer to Anfield — and the job he’s doing with Bayer Leverkusen is all of the proof required.
Arriving in October 2022, it wasn’t a straightforward first season for Alonso. However over time, his tactical and training strategies have shone by way of and he has formed a group in his picture. The Spaniard can use learnings from a profession that noticed him play beneath a succession of elite managers — together with Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola.
After 18 video games, his aspect are unbeaten on the prime of the Bundesliga — and 4 factors away from second-placed Bayern Munich. They play an thrilling, possession-dominant, intense type of soccer in a 3-4-2-1 system. His group may also be pragmatic when required, albeit not fairly the “heavy metallic” soccer Liverpool have performed beneath Klopp at occasions.
(Christof Koepsel/Getty Photographs)
Alonso has put in a successful mentality and a combating spirit at Leverkusen not dissimilar to what Klopp has constructed at Liverpool. He’s a ‘first-in, last-out character’, who usually broods over tactical particulars for hours on finish. Alonso just isn’t fairly the showman Klopp is, together with his focus solely on the soccer somewhat than different departments throughout the membership.
Alonso carried out on the highest stage as a participant and seems to be greater than able to teaching at it too.
Andy Jones
Roberto De Zerbi
The Brighton & Hove Albion supervisor’s introduction to the Premier League got here at Anfield in October 2022 and his aspect raced right into a deserved 2-0 lead after a dominant opening half-hour.
It was the primary perception into what has turn into widespread information: the Italian is an revolutionary, detailed coach who has turned Brighton into one of the fascinating groups to observe within the Premier League.
Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has claimed that De Zerbi has modified English soccer; a reasonably large praise from one of many best managers of all time.
(Clive Brunskill/Getty Photographs)
De Zerbi likes his gamers to be protagonists on the pitch and that requires a possession-dominant aspect. He needs his aspect to construct from the again and create house to progress the ball to attacking gamers.
At its finest, it has been a match for the most effective sides within the division. He’s tactically versatile and prepared to alter his setup, system and strategy all through the sport to realize benefit and management.
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He has imprinted his type on a squad who’ve purchased into his strategies utterly. His exuberance on the touchline demonstrates his ardour and would possible resonate properly with Liverpool’s supporters.
With entry to larger assets than Brighton can supply him and a higher-quality squad, it could be attention-grabbing to see how good a Liverpool group coached in De Zerbi’s strategies could possibly be.
Andy Jones
Michel
Given Klopp’s transformational impact on the membership, it is smart to look over at Girona for inspiration on their subsequent managerial miracle employee.
Michel has been on some journey with the La Liga leaders, selecting up a aspect nonetheless reeling from a second-consecutive play-off ultimate defeat at first of the 2021-22 season. Within the two and a half years since, Michel has taken Girona up and saved them secure earlier than embarking on a scarcely plausible title cost with Actual Madrid this season.
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Michel’s type hinges on creative motion and bravado in possession to drag the opposition aside. In an early season journey to Sevilla, the coach was caught demanding his gamers take “two touches minimal” and to play “road soccer” within the face of an aggressive press, insisting on character to play by way of the strain.
That philosophy reveals by way of within the numbers: solely Las Palmas have accomplished extra passes in their very own half this season, whereas Girona have the bottom direct velocity of any La Liga aspect, pointing to affected person, thought of build-up.
(Alex Caparros/Getty Photographs)
His techniques are adaptable and artistic, epitomised by the altering roles of Miguel Gutierrez all through the season; a left-back turned central midfielder, winger turned box-crashing No 8. Michel’s character is intense and obsessive, a Guardiola-esque communicator from the touchline.
A transfer to Liverpool would recommend a stylistic rebuild, in addition to an enormous step up for a budding younger coach. Then once more, it’s nothing that Michel hasn’t navigated earlier than.
Thom Harris
Simone Inzaghi
Liverpool because the begin of 2021-22: Champions League finalists, FA Cup winners, League Cup winners, Group Protect winners. They haven’t managed to dethrone Manchester Metropolis, however have been persistently glorious in knockout competitions.
Inter Milan beneath Simone Inzaghi because the begin of 2021-22: Champions League finalists, twice Coppa Italia winners (Italian Cup), thrice Supercoppa winners (Italian Tremendous Cup).
Not often is a head coach with that form of trophy cupboard available, however such is the infamous instability with Inter — and Serie A extra broadly — that he has not had his contract prolonged past summer season 2025.
(Alex Grimm/Getty Photographs)
The sticking half is tactical. Inzaghi all the time performs a 3-5-2 — as he in his earlier job at Lazio — however his Inter aspect have turn into more and more adaptable. They rank first in Serie A this season for top turnover objectives, 10+ cross sequences and sequences that finish with a shot or contact within the opposition field. For direct assaults — a proxy of counter-attacking — they’re second.
This type and form might swimsuit Liverpool’s participant profiles, notably a wing-back position for Andy Robertson on the left. It might add enough midfield and defensive assist to maneuver Trent Alexander-Arnold inside completely. It means buying and selling wing-backs for wingers, however Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez look equally threatening as No 9s, and Liverpool might proceed to be tactically versatile.
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Liam Tharme
Unai Emery
Unfairly laughed at in his time at Arsenal, Unai Emery’s return to the Premier League has been an emphatic redemption story.
He has taken a despondent, struggling Aston Villa aspect and made them title and Champions League-qualification challengers in fewer than 12 months.
Emery’s credentials are powerful to query, notably in Europe the place his experience led Sevilla to a few consecutive Europa League titles between 2013 and 2016 and extra just lately with Villarreal within the 2020-21 season.
The 52-year-old is a workaholic and he has been afforded loads of management at Villa to encompass himself with those who he trusts and works collaboratively, with resembling sporting director Monchi. That’s one thing Liverpool might want to take into account given the extra upheaval of Klopp’s teaching employees and interim sporting director Jorg Schmadtke all departing too.
(Visionhaus/Getty Photographs)
Emery is well-respected in teaching circles. He has improved gamers collectively and individually, sticking to a set of core ideas and a tactical framework that may be tweaked relying on opposition and recreation state.
He tends to favour a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 system and desires his aspect to play fluid, attacking soccer with fixed motion and combos.
Out of possession, his aspect take up a 4-4-2 form and his group press and undertake a excessive line of defense which has made them extraordinarily profitable at catching opponents offside. This season, they’ve provoked 106 offsides, greater than some other group in Europe’s prime 5 leagues.
What number of discussions have been had about Liverpool’s line of defense through the years? It’s one thing that would definitely proceed beneath Emery.
Andy Jones
Thomas Frank
As close-to-home replacements go, Thomas Frank could possibly be a shrewd (and pretty practical) goal to minimise the potential impression of wholesale tactical change.
The Dane has overseen Brentford’s spectacular rise to the Premier League with minimal fuss, with two mid-table finishes beneath his belt and a few notable wins alongside the best way. Solely Brighton (40) have taken extra factors towards the ‘Large Six’ since their promotion; Brentford have overwhelmed Manchester Metropolis twice, Chelsea 3 times, and Manchester United by 4 objectives to nil.
Frank is tactically versatile, tailoring his aggressive out-of-possession philosophy to use the weaknesses of his opponents. Brentford’s urgent numbers are ‘best-of-the-rest’, rating eighth for the variety of passes they permit per defensive motion (PPDA) since their promotion, reflecting their want to claim themselves regardless of their latest arrival to the highest division.
(Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Photographs)
Brentford’s typical 4-3-3 form can even be acquainted on Merseyside, as inverted wingers enable full-backs freedom to push on. As well as, Bryan Mbeumo has thrived in a Salah-esque position beneath Frank, whereas his most well-liked 3-5-2 towards the larger sides within the division makes Alexander-Arnold’s inverted position in possession a well-known idea. It’s little marvel that the 50-year-old has admirers at Anfield.
Issues have been tougher this season for Brentford, dropping each Ivan Toney and Mbuemo for giant chunks of a aggressive third season within the prime flight. However Frank, as all the time, has acquitted himself properly and feels eminently poachable for a membership of Liverpool’s measurement.
Thom Harris
Julian Nagelsmann
Aged 30, Nagelsmann, seen as certainly one of soccer’s brightest younger coaches, ready for Hoffenheim’s conflict with Liverpool in a 2017-18 Champions League qualifier by taking part in down the affect of Anfield’s ambiance earlier than the sport.
By the point he departed Merseyside, he knew all about it. Liverpool received 4-2 however they have been 3-0 up after 21 minutes with Hoffenheim surprised (and Nagelsmann left scratching his head within the dugout).
He would possible be far more complimentary about it if he have been to be sitting down for a press convention after having been introduced as Liverpool’s new supervisor.
For a while, Nagelsmann felt like a pure successor to Klopp. However after spells at RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and the German nationwide group, he isn’t fairly the recent property he was when he burst onto the managerial scene.
(Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Photographs)
Nagelsmann is an revolutionary supervisor, ingraining particular ideas and construction into gamers and tweaking them relying on the opposition. He regularly makes artistic tactical modifications in recreation, usually switching between three and 4 on the again. However this strategy labored towards him at Bayern Munich, the place his micro-management and messages to the gamers turned overly sophisticated at occasions.
Nagelsmann’s idol is Pep Guardiola, so it’s no shock that lots of his concepts try to copy the Spaniard. He needs his aspect to construct from the again and be possession-based whereas urgent excessive after they lose possession.
Klopp praised Nagelsmann when he was appointed as Germany’s supervisor and labelled him a “nice coach”. He isn’t, nevertheless, the man-manager Klopp has confirmed himself to be at Liverpool and there can be strain on Nagelsmann to indicate he can take care of managing a giant membership within the wake of his sad spell at Bayern.
Andy Jones
Ange Postecoglou
This could be a difficult one, mate.
The previous Celtic boss has solely been at Tottenham Hotspur for eight months however has deservedly acquired big reward for the job he has executed. Spurs’ type of play and mentality have each been utterly revamped — and all in the identical season after they misplaced talisman Harry Kane to Bayern.
Nonetheless, Postecoglou grew up in Australia as a Liverpool fan. He spent his childhood staying up late together with his dad — whose favorite participant was Kenny Dalglish — to observe them.
The 58-year-old has breathed new life right into a Tottenham aspect that seemed properly in need of it final season. His use of inverted full-backs to create overloads in central areas in his 4-3-3 system seems like an strategy that could possibly be replicated at Liverpool, and his possession-based type ends in loads of attacking aptitude.
(Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC through Getty Photographs)
One of many greatest compliments afforded to Postecoglou has been that regardless of the quite a few accidents and suspensions he has needed to take care of, the group’s type has not modified. He’s wedded to it and even when circumstances are towards them — resembling happening to 9 males towards Chelsea — they continue to be decided to play their method.
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Had the Klopp departure come 12 months additional on, a transfer for Postecoglou would definitely have been believable as he has not often stayed in a job for greater than two or three years. He would like to handle the membership in the future, although, so Dalglish is likely to be wanted to go to London.
Andy Jones
(Prime pictures: Getty)
